July 2025 | Released August 19, 2025

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United States

Employment snapshot

• In July, among the 50 states and the District of Columbia unemployment fell in 6, rose in 15, and remained unchanged in 30.

• The highest unemployment rate was 6 percent in District of Columbia, and the lowest was 1.9 percent in South Dakota. Nationally, the unemployment rate rose by 0.1 percentage point to 4.2 percent.

• In July, payroll jobs rose in 31 states and fell in 20. The largest payroll job percent increase was 0.6 percent in Missouri. The largest payroll job percent decline was 0.5 percent in Wyoming.

New Jersey

Employment snapshot

• In July, New Jersey added 7,500 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate remained unchanged at 4.9 percent. In the prior month, New Jersey lost 14,400 net payroll jobs.

• Over the past 12 months, New Jersey added 24,800 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate rose by 0.3 percentage points from 4.6 percent.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 73,000 in July, or 0 percent. New Jersey is tied for 34th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• In July, New Jersey’s private sector added 13,100 net private payroll jobs, and over the past 12 months it added 32,000 private payroll jobs. In the prior month, New Jersey lost 9,300 net private payroll jobs.

• In July, employment in New Jersey fell by 4,792, and over the past 12 months it fell by 36,688.

• New Jersey’s labor force participation rate fell to 63.6 percent in July from 63.7 percent and is tied for 21st in the nation. In the past 12 months, the labor force participation rate has fallen by 0.8 percentage points.

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New Jersey

Payroll employment

• New Jersey added 7,500 net payroll jobs, or 0.2 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during July. In the prior month, New Jersey lost 14,400 jobs. New Jersey nonfarm payroll employment has increased in 6 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 73,000 in July, or 0 percent. New Jersey is tied for 34th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• New Jersey added 13,100 private sector jobs, or 0.3 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during July. In the prior month, New Jersey lost 9,300 jobs. New Jersey private sector payroll employment has increased in 8 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, private sector payroll jobs rose by 83,000 jobs in July, or 0.1 percent. New Jersey is tied for 26th in the nation for percentage gain in private sector payroll employment over the past 12 months.

From June 2025 to July 2025:

• The best performing sectors were Professional and Business Services (+7,700) and Leisure and Hospitality (+3,000).
• The worst performing sectors were State and Local Government (-5,500) and Construction (-1,600).

From July 2024 to July 2025:

• The best performing sectors were Private Education and Health Services (+32,100) and Professional and Business Services (+11,600).
• The worst performing sectors were Construction (-8,000) and Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (-6,900).

New Jersey

Labor force

The labor force participation rate is the percentage of the civilian noninstitutionalized population age 16 and older who are employed or actively looking for work.

• The labor force participation rate in New Jersey fell to 63.6 percent in July from 63.7 percent in the prior month.

• New Jersey is tied for 21st in the nation.

• The 10-year high for the labor force participation rate in New Jersey was 65 percent occurring in June 2023, and the 10-year low was 60.7 percent in April 2020.

• The national labor force participation rate fell by 0.1 percentage points to 62.2 percent in July.